


Blood Brothers

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2014-01-31
Packaged: 2018-01-10 15:51:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1161649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Yes, and I promised in front of God to share my heart and soul with you.  I didn’t promise to share Aaron Hotchner’s.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blood Brothers

**Author's Note:**

> MILD SPOILERS FOR ROUTE 66! I rarely write about this pairing in canon. Welcome to rarely.

Sam tried to tiptoe back into the bedroom after hanging up the phone. He didn’t have to do that, his wife was up on her elbows in bed.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“My back.” There were tears in her voice. “My goddamn back.”

“OK, we’ll take care of it.”

Sam walked across the room and turned on his bedside lamp. Jessie sat up slowly and swung her legs onto the floor. Getting back into bed, Sam sat behind her. He put just enough distance between them to slip his hand under her maternity sleep shirt and rub the small of her back. Jessie gripped his leg, a groan of both pleasure and pain coming from her diaphragm.

“When did it start?” Sam asked. He used his free hand to brush aside her blonde curls and kiss the nape of her neck.

“I've been ignoring it off and on since right after dinner.” She admitted.

“You'd kill me if I did the same.”

“Yes.” Jessie asked.

“That’s a bit hypocritical, baby.”

“Yes. Ohhh Sam, do that again. Do that…that was the spot.”

“There are probably a million scary things about childbirth.” Sam said. He moved the heel of his hand in a circular motion on her back. “At least to a man there is. But pregnancy is scary too. 

“The last time we were at the doctor, I was looking at the progression of the baby through each trimester. By the time it got to seven months, I was mortified. Where does your bladder go? Or your small intestines for that matter. Our child is squishing vital organs as we speak.”

“I appreciate the visual.” Jessie grunted in pain.

“I'm sorry. I just worry about you, that’s all. You already know that about me. I know every pregnant woman goes through aches, pains, and discomfort. I just worry.”

“I'm fine, Sam.” She turned her head to capture his lips in a kiss. “Are you alright? When I woke up you weren’t here.”

“I got a phone call.” He replied.

“At this hour?” Jessie looked at the clock. “Please don’t tell me that its work.”

“It wasn’t work.” Sam shook his head. “It was Aaron.”

“Oh my God, is he…?”

“Calm down Jess, calm down.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “Aaron is fine and Jack is fine. He just wanted to talk.”

“About what?”

Sam sighed thinking about how to proceed. Jessie had known Aaron Hotchner more than half of her life. She didn’t always like him but he was family and she loved him. It was a fine line between being there, helping as family, and interfering. 

Jessie teetered on the line but didn’t want to fall. Hotch was a grown man who could mostly take care of himself. She had Jack to think about though. Sam thought about Jack a lot too. 

Her nephew was just eight years old. He had a lot of learning and growing up to do. There had been enough bad things in his life. Jack needed a few years of calm.

“When I dropped Jack off that evening we talked a bit about Aaron’s post-surgery. I know he's been struggling with some things. I told him if he ever needed or wanted to talk that I was here. I'm actually surprised that he called. Even if I wanted to, I didn’t expect to hear from him.”

“What did you talk about?” Jessie asked.

“Jess…”

“What?” she turned her head to glance at him.

“I told Aaron that anything we discussed would be between the two of us. I meant that. I know it isn’t easy to expose or discuss feelings that could be perceived as weakness. Breaking his confidence would be unconscionable.”

“I'm your wife.”

“Yes, and I promised in front of God to share my heart and soul with you. I didn’t promise to share Aaron Hotchner’s.”

“Touché.” Jessie didn’t like it but accepted it for the moment. 

If Aaron found a shoulder in Sam that was a good thing. She wanted to know. Jessie believed that was because she was concerned and not just because she wanted to know Aaron’s mind. Maybe it was a little of both. Even if it was out of love, she still had to dial it down some.

“How’s your back?” Sam asked.

“A little better. Is Aaron going to be alright, Sam?”

“He will be.” Her husband nodded. “We all faced trauma that day; the stuff of nightmares. The truth is that it'll always be with us. It’s changed us.”

“I understand, well I don’t…I lost my sister. That’s part of me that will never be mended or replaced. But you and Aaron, you stared into the face of evil. You fought that monster and you beat him.”

“That was only the beginning.” Sam said.

“I know.” Jessie rubbed his thigh. “I'm going to worry, I'm going to pretend that I’m not worrying. And my life will continue as always.”

“Yes it will.” Sam kissed her shoulder. “I can give you something nice to think about.”

“Is this a shameless cock plug?”

Sam burst into laughter, covering his mouth. That was one of the many things that he loved about Jessie. She had the sweetest, most innocent face and appearance. That never stopped her from saying things out of her mouth that were neither sweet nor innocent. 

The first time Sam heard it, it shocked him. That made Jessie laugh. The second time it turned him on. Every other time for the past four years fell somewhere between lust and guffawing like a 12 year old boy.

“I was actually thinking about baby names.” He said. “Have you thought of any?”

“I refused to buy any of the baby books but I did bookmark some online sites.” Jessie said.

Her back felt better so she slid under the covers and into her husband’s arms. Jessie took off Sam’s tee shirt, stroking his belly. He reached under her shirt to rub her back.

“I know we already have a son but looking at girls’ names is like staring down the Grand Canyon. I've gotten attached to Liam; it means strong willed warrior. Luca means bringer of the light. I love that one.”

“Luca…that’s different.” Sam nodded.

“I also love Nathan, which means giving, and Kieran, which means dark haired. I want his middle name to be James no matter what his first name is.”

“If you have the boys’ names down then I guess girls’ names are on me.”

“I'm doing a lot of the hard work, Samuel Kassmeyer. I think you can handle the girls’ names. I have faith in you.”

Sam knew he had faith but he also only had ten weeks. That didn’t feel like enough time since his child would have to live with the name for the rest of her life. All of the basics floated through his head—Laura, Susan, Allison, Kate—there were millions to choose from. Then there were the strange ones; Apple, Rainbow, and Blue Ivy to name a few. Sam only got to choose two.

“I know I said all that mattered to me was a healthy, happy child.” He said. “I still mean that. But a boy would be good.”

“I doubt you'll get off that easy.” Jessie yawned. She turned on the mattress, trying to get more comfortable. Her smile was sleepy as her husband spooned behind her.

“Thank you.” Sam whispered, kissing the sensitive spot behind her ear.

“For what?” Jessie stroked his arm.

“For loving me…for saving me.”

“You did the same for me. And tomorrow morning, as long as my back and breasts aren't too sore, I'm going to have amazing sex with you.”

“All the more reason to sleep now.”

Jessie laughed, snuggling in his embrace. Sam reached to turn off the lamp. He exhaled the day as he held onto his wife. He told her that Aaron would be fine. He just couldn’t delude himself that it wouldn’t take time. 

When the doctors opened Aaron’s chest they did more than crack old physical wounds. Sam understood since he’d been under the knife three more times since his life-saving surgery. Life went on, the earth spun on its axis, but your feet were stuck to the ground. Sam was often back in that safe house with that monster. He knew he was as good as dead but would never tell where Haley and Jack were. 

He smelled his own searing flesh; tasted the iron of his blood in his mouth. Sam prayed for the pain to stop, if that meant death then so be it. But he lived. He lived and had to put the pieces back together nearly a half-dozen times. Jessie was always by his side. 

They wouldn’t even know each other if not for this tragedy. They pledged to spend their lives together and a son was born of that love. There was another child on the way. Life was beautiful in so many ways. That didn’t make the nightmares, phantom pains, or PTSD disappear. 

The incidents were less frequent…sometimes Sam almost remembered being normal. Almost. While he and Aaron suffered in the same and yet completely different ways, they still suffered. Sam wanted to do whatever he could to help. They were family, and not just because Sam was married to Aaron’s sister-in-law. There was blood between them; their own, Haley’s, and George Foyet’s.

“You're not asleep.” Jessie mumbled.

“I'm getting there, baby.” He held her tighter. “You're not there either.”

“You alright?”

“I am, I promise. Love you, Jess.”

“Love you too. I’ll make French toast for breakfast in the morning.”

“Sex and French toast…I'm a very lucky man.”

“Yes you are. I want you to always remember that.”

***


End file.
